Automatic wire take-up device



May 4, 1948. v M. l. KARP ET AL 2,440,719

AUTOMATIC WIRE TAKE UP DEVICE Filed Sept. 16, 19 44 2 Sheets-Sheet l iT F U- 37 F. ml Lu u L 4 fG. mafia f May 4, 1948. M. 'l. KARP ET AL 2,440,719

AUTOMATIC WIRE TAKE UP DEVICE Filed Sept. 16, 1944 2 Sheebs-Shet 2 F/Gi Patented May 4, 1948 AUTOMATIC WIRE TAKE-UP DEVICE Marvin 1. Ram and Harry L. Peach, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 16, 1944, Serial No. 554,399

1 Claim. (01. 191-122) This invention relates to winding devices and in particular to one that is used in maintaining the electrical wire employed in service uses, coiled within the device ready for extension to any desired length.

The use of winding devices upon which canbe stored a length of wire to be extended for the remote use of a tool or fixture from the source of current supply is well known, but the ones in present use maintain the circuit through the reeling device and wire through the medium of a sliding or rolling contact that. is subject to arcing and presents a fire hazard not only while the device is in use but when it is not in use, due to the fact that when reeling ceases, the contacting members may be close enough together to are if the device is subjected to ordinary vibration and may cause short circuits in the power or supply line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reeling device which is automatic in use, that is permits the unreelingof the wire any length desired and the winding thereof as rapidly or as slowly as necessary. A further object is to provide a construction in which there are no moving parts that rub against each other to complete a circuit thereby eliminating the danger of arcing and doing away with all fire hazard. Still further objects are to provide a device that may be made in a few parts, may be made of insulating material for the most part and which may be employed as a unit with a sewin machine, vacuum cleaner or other device to take up slack wire or may be built as a unit into a wall to provide an extension wire for any purpose.

A further object of our invention is to use a reel in which the revolving agent is a set of springs which are coiled by the unwinding pull on the coiled wire and the tension of which is used to wind up the extended wire as it is released for reeling in movement. The springs are arranged to be part of the circuit from which the current passes from its source through the wire for use with an implement, the contacts being so arranged that no moving parts are employed in making the contact necessary for completing the circuit.

Our invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modification therein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages derived from its use. A preferred embodiment of the invention 2 is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in sectional elevation of the housing and mechanism of the reeling device.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation showing the relative arrangement of the parts,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing the spring action controlling means, and

'Figure *l is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of reel construction showing diagrammatically how the capacity of the reel may be enlarged,

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2 showing the spring retaining recess, and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2 showing thereel and shaft contact means.

Referring to the drawing in detail, i0 indicates generally the housing which comprises side walls ll, front wall 12, rear wall I3, top and bottom walls l4 and inner walls l5, all secured together by any fastening means such as screws or cement. The wall construction may be of molded plastic parts if desired and the material from which the housing and other associated parts is made consists of any suitable insulating material that is fireproof and shock-proof for durability.

The inside of the housing is provided with the spaced inner walls [6, one of which abuts a side wall II and the other of which is spaced from the opposite side wall. Both walls IE on their inner faces are recessed as at H to provide a I space inwhich is positioned the springs I8 and I 9. One end of each spring is attached by a screw 20 to an axle 2| made of metal, which protrudes from the opposite sides of a reel 22 made from insulating material and shaped to provide flanges 23 which constitute closures for the recesses H of the walls I6 in which are journalled the said axles 2 I. The opposite or outer ends of the springs are fastened to the notched portions 25 formed in the walls I6 and adjacent to which is fixed on the bottom wall M of the housing, the contact posts 26 which are connected by wires 21 to the screws 28 which secure the ends of the springs to said walls 15.

The hub or drum portion 30 of the reel provides an insulation between the ends of the axles 2| which may be force fitted or otherwise secured in said reel. If deemed advisable a single i axle may be employed having its ends insulated from each other. The portion 30 carries screws 3| which are threaded into the metal axles and to which screws the ends of the wire that is wire and back through the same means at the 5 opposite side of the reel and housing. In this manner no current carrying contacts provide dangerous arcing which is absent as a fire hazard in our construction;

The side "Walls =1 l 'are each providedwitli at pocket 33 :on their inner face for the reception of ball bearing units 34 mounted on the axles 21;? the axle at one side being extended .as ,at.35-.to

project through the side wall H'to' carry'"on'"an" It is evident therefore that we have provided a reeling device in which arcing and friction of the contacting surfaces is eliminated, which arcing and friction pit and wear the surfaces and limit the life of the device, and produce a fire hazard that our construction eliminates entirely. The life of our structure is thus increased and its use is safe at all times and under all condi- Whatiweiclaimdsz i In an automatic wire reeling device, a housing, inner walls shaped to provide concentric recesses opening, at thelinner sides of said inner walls, outerwall'st'afianged wire holding reel of insuinsulated tip 35 thereof, the ratchet gear 3TWhiOh" ma m ri p i n t een and in contact pawl are housed. Thesame axle has secured o thereto as at Ma: detent disk' ll-which revolves with the shaft and carries on its inner facesthe diametrically disposed detents 43 which arearrangedfor gravitationalengagement with peripheraL-recesses, d l-inithe edge ofi a disk platellii fixed to the-adjacentewalll6 when (the axleis revolving slowly, but preventedwfrom dropping into said recesses when the: axle-is; reVolving. -rapidly as caused by the centrifugal force of a rapid winding actionof the-reel.v Hence, a-slight-resistance onthe wire to reelingiaction will .cause' the reelto belatched and if it is-desired to reelin rapidly, a tug on the wire will release -thedetents and they will be swung iawayifrom the platerby the centrifugal forcecaused-by;-the"revolving movement of the axle; The wire of the reelcan thus be extendedto any length desired and held in extendedposition andcan thereafter "be-reeled in fully or adjusted as desired; The reeling actime does not effect the-circuit and produces=no sparking or 'arcingrthat woul'd -produce the fire hazard which is highly objectionable,

The fiangesof; the'reel'andthe inneinwalls provide a: complete housing .for the a bare :spring which carriestheecurrent'at'each side of=the 45 reel: andhence the springs are-completely insulated iromthe 'otherwparts -of'the device.

In the construction illustrated in Figured; the same housing and control devices maybe --employed, and the innerand-ioutersleeves and-5i 50 ofmetal are separated from-eachother'bysleeves oi insulating material 522 and-'53.-' The-inner sleeve or-solid shaft 58 ista-pped by the-contact screws 54 which provide-5a"circuitrthrough the springs andreel'and the-outer sleeve -5l is :tapped by, the screws 55 which provideiacircuit through another SGlJ Of springszand-the-reel so-that'two difi'erent wires may' besreeled'asintelephone use.

fwith'the inside surface of said inner walls to form a closure for said, recesses, insulated metal stub axles-proiectingfromthe ends of said reel passing through said inner walls and journalled in said outer walls, a coil spring in each recess connected at. its innen endlt0, :anadj acent. ..ax1e.-and at, its outerend to, thesinner walljliindingscrews for. securing the. outer and..'inner endssoiltlie springs to the wall Tofithemhousing, ,and thelaxls, respectively, binding screws on the outensurfdbe of the reel forconnection tofthe-endsfiofia.wire wound on the reel and; to, saidaxles, wherebya circuit may be completed? through; the. springs, the axles and the ewire woundbn said lreeljgwirie contact posts inthe reel chamber. formed bysai'd' inner walls and to which maybe connected aJe'ad' in wire fixed'to the binding screws 'securinggthe springs to the wallj a hollow d'et'ent disk attached REFERENGES -CITED The following references -,are,of-.,record.ain the file of this patent:

UNITED LSTATES" PATENTS:

Number Name a Date,

977,192 Hull Now-29," 1910 1,102,164- Parker; June 3tlg l9'le 1,247,358 Zii/illin'g No'v. '20; 1917 1,247,672 Hallberg Nov, 27, .1917 1,978,734 Apple et 31;: Oct.:;30,% 1934 2,374,457

Reeves; Apr. 24; 1945 

